Fluid container with valve controlled opening



Nov. 14, 1950 A. SMYE FLUID CONTAINER WITH VALVE CONTROLLED OPENINGFiled Oct. 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR SMYE ATTORNE Nov. 14, 1950 A. SMYE FLUID CONTAINER WITH VALVECONTROLLED OPENING Filed Oct. 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FIG. 2

I I4 m 4 IN VEN TOR.

ARTHUR SMYE ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,530,092 FLUIDCONTAINER WITH VALVE 1 9 CONTROLLED OPENING 1 Arthur Smye, London,England, assignor to Pyrene Manufacturing Company, Newark, N. J acorporation of Delaware 4 Claims. 1

A primary object of the invention has been to i provide an arrangementin which, when the valve is operated to cause discharge of the contentsof the container, it will remain open until the operating means is againpositively actuated to close the valve.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention the valveis moved into the open position by a handle pivoted to the container andconnected to the valve member by a pivoted v link. The handle and linkin the opening movemerit pass through a dead-centre position, whereafterthe handle becomes urged by the spring against a stop and positiveoperation of the handle is necessary to return the valve member to theclosed position.

The invention may be applied to a container for a single fluid whosecontents is to be discharged under pressure during a substantial periodof time or to an apparatus in which two fluids, such as reactingliquids, are normally retained in separate chambers and are adapted tobe brought together for reaction when the apparatus is to be put intouse.

A further object of the invention has been to provide an arrangement inwhich a double valve means for controlling both the intermixture of thereacting fluids and the discharge of the fluid resulting therefromrequires positive operation for opening the same and further positiveoperation for closing the same.

When the invention is embodied in a fire extinugisher containing twoliquid foam-generating reagents it may be contained in a cap detachablefrom the rest of the container. The valve member then includes a stemslidable through the wall of the cap and serving both to close thedischarge opening and to prevent mingling of the reagents.

An illustrative form of the invention will be described, by way ofexample, as applied to an extinguisher of the character last indicated,in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing the valve member in the closedposition; and

2 Figure 2 is a similar view showing the valve member in the openposition.

The extinguisher has an outer container 2 which holds an alkalinesolution and an inner container 4 which holds acid solution mixed with afoam-stabilizing compound. The inner con-.

tainer hangs within the neck of the outer container from a short tubularpart 6 to which it is rigidly attached. The part 6 has a number ofopenings 8, an in-turned lip It] at its bottom and an out-turned lip l2at its top. The lip l2 rests on the thickened neck of the outercontainer and is held in position by a, cap M which screws firmly ontothis neck. A rubber gasket i6 and a thin resilient plate It are grippedbetween the lip l2 and the cap.

The valve member slides vertically through the cap and consists of a rod'20 carrying a hard rubber disc 22 gripped between washers 23 at itslower end and a hard rubber grommet 24 engaging a groove 26 about itsmiddle. The lower part of the rod 20 is surrounded by a coil spring 28which bears on the plate l8 and one of the washers 23 and urges the disc22 to seat on the lip It]. In this position, as shown in Figure 1, thelower chamfered surface of the grommet 25 seats on a corresponding part30 of the plate I8. Since the only opening in the plate I8 is aclearance opening 3| around the rod 20, the alkaline solution cannotescape nor can the two solutions meet because of the closure of theinner container by the disc 22.

On th outside of the cap 14 is a handle 32 pivoted on a pin 34 carriedby the cap. This handle is linked to the rod 29 and in fact there aretwo identical links 31, one on each side of the rod, in order to makethe construction strong. Each link extends from a pivot 36 on the handleto'a pivot pin 38 on the upper end of the rod. The handle normally restsrelatively close to the cap, room being left for fingers to grip it at49. When the handle is lifted, the rod 20 is raised, and the handle 32and links 3? reach th position shown in Figure 2. It will be seen thatthe handle and links have passed a dead centre and the action of thespring 28 is to urge the rod 20 downwards again and so move the'handle'further. However such movement is limited by engagement'of the part 42of the handle with the cap. Theposition of the handle, links and'valvemember shownin Figure 2 is such that positive operation of the 'handlein the opposite direction is necessary to return the valve member to theclosed position shown in Figure 1.

It will be understood that the grommet 24 is sufliciently compressibleto permit the handle to be moved across the dead center position ineither direction.

In the position shown in Figure 2 there is a clear passage past the lipl and disc 22 and through the openings 8 for the two solutions to meet.Moreover there is a clear passage from within the part 6 through theopening 3!, and; thence through slots 44 and a passage 46 to an outletnozzle 48. Thus when the handle 32 has been lifted inversion of theextinguisher will bring about reaction of the solutions and thedischarge of foam. The upper chamfered surface of the grommet 2 1 seatson a part 50 of the cap [4 and so prevents leakage of foam past the rod20. The nozzle 48 is covered by a rubber cap 52 to exclude dirt. This isblown off as soon as foam begins to form.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a fire extinguisher comprising a container for fluid, saidcontainer having a part in fixed relation thereto and having a passagefor the discharge of fluid therefrom, the combination of a valve membershiftable in an opening extending through a wall of said container forcontrolling the discharge of fluid through said passage, a springengaged at one end with said part and at its other end with said valvemember normally urging said valve member into closed position, and meansfor operating said valve member comprising a hand operated leverpivotally mounted on said container, a link pivotally connected withsaid valve member and lever, the pivot for said lever being constantlydisposed at the same side of the pivots of said link, said severalpivots being so arranged that said link will be carried through a deadcenter position upon the valv opening movement of said lever, saidspring serving thereafter to urge said lever further in the valveopening direction, and means for arresting such further movement of thelever after said dead center position of the link has been passed, saidvalve member comprising a readily compressible sealing element adaptedto seal said opening through the wall of said container when said valveis held in its opened position.

2. In a fire extinguisher comprising an outer container and an innercontainer adapted to retain two separate fluids capable of reacting todischarge a fire extinguishing fluid, said outer container having apassage for the discharge of said fire extinguishing fluid therefrom,and means providing a passage communicating with the interior of both ofsaid containers, the combination of valve means including a commonmember for closing both of said passages, one of said containers havinga part in fixed relation thereto, spring means engaged at one end withsaid part and at its other end with said valve means for urging thelatter into closed position, and means. for operating said valve meansto open said passages comprising a lever pivotally mounted on said outercontainer, a link connecting said lever with said member, said linkbeing arranged to pass through a dead center position in the operationof said valve means to open said passages and thereafter acting underthe influence of said spring means to urge said lever further in thevalve opening direction, and means for arresting further movement of theparts after said deadcenter position of the link has been passed, I

3. In a fire extinguisher comprising an outer 4 container for fluidhaving an opening through the wall thereof, a cap secured to saidcontainer over said opening to substantially close the same, said caphaving a passage for the discharge of fluid therefrom, an innercontainer within said outer container, means providing a passagecommunicating with the interiors of both containers, one of saidcontainers having a part in fixed relation thereto, the combination ofvalve means for closing both of said passages, spring means reactingagainst said part of one of said containers and said valve means fornormally urging said valve means into closed position, a member carriedby said cap and connected with said valve means for controlling thesame, and means for operating said member to open said valve meanscomprising a lever pivotally mounted on said cap, a link pivotallyconnected at spaced points to said lever and member, respectively, ahorizontal plane passing through the point of connection of said linkwith said member being disposed always at the same side of a horizontalplane through the pivot of said lever, said link being arranged to passthrough a dead center position upon movement of said lever in a valveopening direction and serving to urge said lever further in the'samedirection under the influence of said spring means as the dead centerposition is passed, and means for limiting the extent of such furthermovement of the lever.

4. In a fire extinguisher comprising a container for fluid, saidcontainer-having a passage for the discharge of fluid therefrom, thecombination of a valve member disposed partly within said container andhaving a portion extending through an opening to the exterior thereof,said valve member having an element arranged to close said passage whensaid member is in one position and to seal said opening when said memberis in another position, said element being compressible, said containerhaving a part in fixed relation thereto, a spring engaged at one endwith said part and at its other end with said valve member normallyurging said valve member into the position for closing said passage,means for operating said valve member comprising a hand operated leverpivotally mounted on said container, a link pivotally connected withsaid valve member and lever, the pivots for said link being at all timesabove the pivot for said lever and said several pivots being so arrangedthat said link will be carried through a dead center position uponmovement of said lever to carry said element from its passage closingposition to its sealing position, said element being compressed uponmovement of said link through its dead center position, said springserving thereafter to urge said lever further in the same direction, andmeans for arresting such further movement of the lever after said deadcenter position of the link has been passed.

ARTHUR SMYE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

